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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23293444">Crybaby</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsun4de/pseuds/tsun4de'>tsun4de</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Baseball, Angst and Humor, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Light Angst, M/M, Naruto is Just Naruto, Someone gets hurt, Uchiha Sasuke &amp; Yamanaka Ino Friendship, Uchiha Sasuke Being an Asshole</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:28:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23293444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsun4de/pseuds/tsun4de</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Uzumaki Naruto had always dreamed of becoming a star pitcher in Konoha High School, but it was way harder than he could imagine. Especially when that damn guy, loved by everyone, called Sasuke Uchiha, took the place on the mound even further from Naruto.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura/Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Hinata/Yamanaka Ino, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. This Is Really Something Else</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Konoha Elementary, Middle and High School had its own tradition. In each of them, future world baseball stars were trained. A player was treated like a player, no matter if he was eight or nineteen. In this way, the youngest were prepared for strong opponents who waited at the high school stage. The three buildings were not connected, but even from he furthest end of the baseball field designated for elementary school, you could still see the training of the oldest.</p>
<p>Uzumaki Naruto was just before entering the final stage of his school baseball career. Konoha High School was to open his way to happiness, fame and self-fulfillment. Looking at the huge building, the largest of all three, filled the teenager with excitement. Of course, he could not count on the fact that he will be in the first string from day one. Although, in his own opinion, he had a chance. </p>
<p>Even though he barely finished elementary and middle school, in Konoha High someone will certainly see his abilities and believe in him.</p>
<p>"Hurry up Hinata, I can't be late for the first training" he yelled over his shoulder to his only friend from previous schools "I can't make a bad impression, because they won't want me in the starting lineup!"</p>
<p>Without even waiting, he ran to the field, which he had already dreamt of in primary school, looking over the fence and watching the players from his room window in the boarding school. Finally. Finally, the time has come.</p>
<p>And even though Naruto spent all his previous years as the right outfielder, where he didn't have to do much, he secretly dreamed of a one on his jersey and the mound, from which he could pitch even better than that damn Sasuke Uchiha from his class who was always a step ahead of him. A few steps. Or one big step. Fifty meters long. A huge step.</p>
<p>Sasuke came from a family of great players, or maybe former great players, because suddenly everyone withdrew from the sport, and he stayed as the only one. </p>
<p>And as it befits someone named Uchiha, he was the best pitcher in Konoha schools since long ago. Uchiha Sasuke himself probably did not realize that somebody like Naruto Uzumaki exists. He wouldn't need an obstscle on his way to a greay career. Anyway, Naruto could be hardly be notice as anyone other than that boy, who couldn't cope with anything, the ball would always fall out of his glove and he could do as much as nothing as a batter.</p>
<p>Uzumaki sighed, but it was not a sight of sorrow. It was a motivating sigh to take him to his first high school training. At the very end of all nine lines, to the number one line, where there was no one else but the star, Uchiha. A line for future pitchers. </p>
<p>"Naruto? The outfielders are there" he was unexpectedly stopped by the voice of another colleague from previous years. "You're going the wrong way".</p>
<p>"Shikamaru!" Naruto completely ignored what the dark haired guy standing in line for the catchers just said. Also the only one in the line. "We can finally play together! Create a battery!"</p>
<p>Shikamaru just looked at him like an idiot and then twisted his head with resignation. "I don't want to ask what you've come up with this time" and he turned around, leaving Naruto alone in the line with Uchiha, who didn't seem to notice him.</p>
<p>"Hey, you" he started, but he didn't finish his sentence because coach Iruka walked closer to the nine lines "Iruka sensei!" </p>
<p>His previous teacher, that took care of him when he was a little kid in the Konoha elementary and still learned everything about baseball. Naruto as a child, sucked at absolutely everything, besides dumb techniques of pitching that were, stupid or not, succesful. He hoped he could still play baseball with Iruka sensei, but it was sure that in higschool, the coach will be different.</p>
<p>"We are here to test you" he announced, eyeing his former students "The best was to check it is a match. Just show us your best skills and our coach team will choose who they want to guide as a coach." </p>
<p>"Excuse me" Shikamaru asked "Am I going to be tested? I am the only one catcher here" </p>
<p>"Yes. We have to decide if we want you or not"</p>
<p>He sighed, and Naruto smiled. Shikamaru never changed. He was still the same Shikamaru that played baseball even though he had no idea why he would do it.</p>
<p>"Yes! Time for some good pitching!" Naruto said to himself.</p>
<p>"You were a right outfielder, weren't you?" Suddenly Uchiha turned around and asked with no visible expression on his face.</p>
<p>"Yes. But I am going to beat you!" </p>
<p>No reaction from Sasuke, but Shikamaru covered his mouth and laughed.</p>
<p>"Okay, are you ready for the match? Take the second field! It's not free for too long, so better warm up and play now"</p>
<p>It was the time. It was the first step for Naruto to fullfill his dream.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Where's My Epic Background Music</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The match didn't go well, actually. Naruto's team was losing and he had zero connection with the catcher he had to play. None of the balls that Naruto pitched didn't go directly into the catcher's glove and this annoyed him a lot, it could be seen.</p><p>Naruto didn't bother to ask his name before, but now it felt like a must, so during the short break, he just asked the taller guy.</p><p>He had long hair, now tied up in a bun, and really weird eyes, that Naruto was sure he had seen before.</p><p>"I'm sorry for the bad pitches. Next time will be perfect, I promise. I am Naruto Uzumaki. You?" he asked before he could even rethink these. This catcher was probably super annoyed, he was losing because of Naruto's lack of skill and now he says something like that?</p><p>"Name's Neji. Hyuuga Neji. Hopefully" he knew from the eyes! So he was a Hyuuga, another great family of baseballers. Naruto's best friend, Hinata, was also a Hyuuga, but Naruto had never seen her play, so he could not say anything if her inherited skills developed. </p><p>Neji seemed like the captain of the older students that were also playing in this match. He sure demanded a lot of respect from his teammates.</p><p>Also, there was another older player that has shown impressive skills. But, what was more, his speed. He hit Uchiha's (!) pitch and ran so fast, before the outfielders even catched the ball in their gloves. But he had a rather weird style. Black hair and really thick eyebrows.</p><p>Uchiha Sasuke seemed tired. For the very first time since a long ago, he got tired in a match. Older guys hit his pitches way easier than guys in middle and elementary school. People were right — the real baseball stars in Konoha High School.</p><p>"Now it's your turn. Don't screw this up" </p><p>Naruto heard, as Shikamaru was passing by. Why would he root for Naruto? He was about to stand in the batter box in a minute. </p><p>Uzumaki slowly walked to the mound and tapped on he ground with both of his feet. The batter already stood in the box.</p><p>Naruto looked at him. It was Uchiha Sasuke.</p><p>So he decided to do this.</p><p>The blond smirked. He didn't practice this one technique for nothing. Now was the perfect time. He looked at Neji, who was pointing a little on the left. So the ball would be harder to hit.</p><p>'Okay' Naruto smiled to himself once again.</p><p>And he pitched. Now's the time.</p><p>His only one breaking ball, that he could never test on a batter, but he worked on it himself, to master it perfectly.</p><p>The look on Uchiha's face was everything. The ball flew directly into Neji Hyuuga's glove, also shocking him. </p><p>The umpire shouted "STRIKE! BATTER OUT" and this was probably the best thing that Naruto has ever heard in his live. Uchiha coming back to the bench was the best thing he had ever seen.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"And then Sasuke Uchiha left the batter box, looking mad as hell! Did you hear that, Hinata? He was so mad! I didn't see it but I bet he threw his bat on the ground!" Naruto smiled widely as he was with his best friend in the dorms in the evening. Actually, girls visiting boys, especially when it was dark outside, was forbidden, but the Uzumaki never keeped any rules either. "And you, Hinata? How was your day? Did you meet someone cool on the match?"</p><p>"Pretty well, I guess" she just smiled back at him, sitting in front of her, still trembling from excitement.</p><p>"I was with your cousin on one team. Didn't know he also played baseball. He's pretty good actually. But not as good as me! I'll beat him in a match someday. But he was amazed when he saw that pitch of mine. Did you see his face?" Naruto kept talking and thanks to that, Hinata did not have to answer. And she appreciated that, speaking about her family it was not extremely comfortable.</p><p>"There's this really pretty girl in your class" suddenly the boy stopped speaking so fast and almost whispered to his friend. "Like, remember Sakura from middle school?" Hinata nodded and Naruto smiled even wider "Would you come with me and support me in the back while I'll be asking her out? You know Hinata, I need some support. Hopefully she noticed my amazing baseball skills. Isn't she on the softball team?"</p><p>"I'm sure she joined the volleyball club"</p><p>"What? Volleyball? I'm not that good at volleyball." he immediately got sadder. Sakura Haruno was his crush since middle school but he never got chance to talk to him. And probably she was one of the girls that truly admired Sasuke Uchiha. But that was in middle school. Maybe something changed.</p><p>Naruto closed his eyes with a big smile on his face.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you for reading as usual, hope you'll like it</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. What The Hell I'm In Hell</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey, you blockhead. Focus" Shikamaru poked Naruto's arm to stop him from daydreaming. "You're going to fail this class and never play baseball again".</p><p>Naruto just looked back at him with an annoyed expression, still being sceptic to the subjects they were taught. Wasn't this a baseball school? Why did they have to learn so much about anything that was not baseball. All boys classes were boring, the teachers perfectly knew that actually nobody here cares about anything that was not baseball. They were supposed to be future world starts. </p><p>"Hey, you, Uzumaki!" A classmate whispered under his breath. He sat two seats away from Naruto, so he could perfectly hear him. </p><p>"What do you want, Kiba?" He answered, hoping the teacher will not hear him. They looked focused on the blackboard, so Naruto looked at Kiba again.</p><p>"Is Hinata free today?" </p><p>"No, I think she has practice" that stupid Inuzuka guy wanted to pick up on his friend, huh? He would definitely not succeed, not on Naruto's watch. Besides, Hinata wouldn't be interested in this type of guy. Bossy. Too bossy for her.</p><p>"What practice? She plays any sport?" Kiba asked curiously.</p><p>"Tryouts for the volleyball team" Naruto rolled his eyes and then, instantly, he got hit with a piece of chalk thrown by the teacher.</p><p> </p><p>And that's how three boys (Shikamaru went with them because they begged him) got to sit together in the stands and watch the girls' tryouts. </p><p>Naruto waved at Hinata when he saw her and she shyly waved back at him, holding a ball in both of her hands. He was sure she'll do well, because when they played volleyball together during their summer break, she would always do a lot better than him.</p><p>Kurenai sensei, the volleyball coach, stood next to the net with a serious expression on her face, looking at two girls that were constantly arguing. One of them was Naruto's pink-haired love interest. He thought about waving at her and shouting something motivating but that'd probably distract her. So he was just sitting and observing.</p><p>She definitely fell out with the blonde girl that he always saw around Sasuke Uchiha. They were friends, probably. Even now he sat in the furthest corner of the hall and silently supported his friend.</p><p>So Naruto couldn't be worse than him.</p><p>"Hinata! You can do it! Come on! Beat them!" He stood and shouted, loudly enough to make Kurenai sensei look at him. Then he immediately sat down next to Kiba and Shikamaru, still grinning like an idiot.</p><p>"First comes their serve training" unlike the others, Kiba was actually interested in volleyball. He played various sports, not only baseball. "Woah... she hit it pretty far. I thought it would fall closer. HOLY SHIT! WHAT'S WITH THAT?" </p><p>"Don't make so much noise, Inuzuka!" Shikamaru whispered, but now he was also looking at the court.</p><p>"It's Sakura-chan!" Naruto put his head between two bars of the railing that protected the stands. "I knew she's amazing!"</p><p>Hinata was the last one, and definetely not as spectacular as the previous girls. </p><p>"Get it Hinata! Go!" Naruto kept supporting, and this time not only Kurenai sensei looked at him, but also the two other girls on the tryouts.</p><p>"Can't he just shut up?" The blonde asked Sakura, finally in other tone than shouting. "He's distracting everyone"</p><p>"Naruto, if you won't shut up..." Shikamaru pulled his shirt, visibly nervous after that glance. " I'm going to kick you out of here and I won't hestitate, even though I don't really want to do it, so please, sit still. Sasuke's looking"</p><p>That made Naruto sit straight with a weird seriousness on his face.</p><p>Kiba choked on his face. "What's with this expression?"</p><p>"Let's just enjoy the game, gentlemen".</p><p>Fortunately, Hinata got an invitation to join the volleyball team. So did Sakura and the second girl named Ino, they happened to be amazing as a duet. Kurenai sensei didn't preach her students when it was nothing.</p><p>So, Naruto took Hinata to eat some ramen in a small ramen shop next to their school.</p><p>"These girls were scary. But you did so well, Hinata! I knew you would make it to the team!" He told her, watching his friend eat another bowl of ramen. She was hungry for sure, after this exhausting practice. "I have baseball practice tomorrow. Hopefully I'll make it to the first string. But I don't want to hope for much". He layed down on the table.</p><p>"It'll be great" Hinata stopped eating for a moment and smiled at him, like he did before. They were best friends even though Naruto was always the louder and more talkative one. Not to mention that they both had to live together in the dorms, back then in elementary school. Hinata never laughed at Naruto, and he always supported her. He thought that she had a crush on him in middle school, but he never asked her about that. Probably that was just a phase.</p><p>"Thank you! I hope you'll be there for me!"</p><p> </p><p>And yeah, she did. But so did her new volleyball friends. They were standing possibly the closest to the field, probably looking at a particular person.</p><p>"Back off! He's MY friend, not yours! Let me see!" </p><p>"I don't care! I want to see if he's on the team. Shut up already! I can't hear anything!"</p><p>Clapping could be heard and the first person that walked out of the line was Shikamaru Nara, who looked annoyed, standing next to Iruka sensei. Hinata thought about him taking her cousin's place as the team's catcher. He didn't look nice either, so it would not make that much of a difference, probably.</p><p>The next one chosen, was, of course, Uchiha Sasuke. He stood next to Shikamaru with no visible emotions. Just his face, that's all.</p><p>Hinata waited for Naruto. He also waited. He was standing in the line, trembling.</p><p>But Iruka sensei didn't read his name. He told the chosen players to come with him and the rest was supposed to start the practice.</p><p>'I'm sorry, Naruto, but this one breaking ball was not enough...'</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you for reading this chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. You Will Never Be A God (if you don't practice)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey! You!" Naruto was coming back to the dorms alone. He told Hinata to come back before him, just because he wanted to be by himself for a while. "Wait a minute! Uzumaki!"</p><p>He lifted his head up just to see the starting lineup's catcher, Neji Hyuuga. He was still in his baseball gear, so he also had to be finished a moment ago.</p><p>"Show me the ball you pitched against Uchiha"</p><p>And Naruto did. Many times. Neji seemed cold and tough and in fact, he was. He demanded that Naruto had to pitch more than 50 times into his glove. Perfectly into his glove.</p><p>"This one is kind of special. Your regular pitches suck and you are not really strong, which does not allow you to keep up with Uchiha" Neji took the ball out of his glove "You need to practice more"</p><p>"I will. No matter what. I will practice." The last two sentences were meant for Naruto and himself only. Neji could hear it but they would not mean as much as they did when Uzumaki said it himself to him only.</p><p>"Meet me here tomorrow, the same time" The Hyuuga started to take his gear off, which indicated Naruto to leave. They were training in the hall meant just for pitchers and catchers, so he was surprised when he saw the guy with thick eyebrows in front of the entrance.</p><p>"I'm sorry if I interrupted you." He bowed down "Is Neji there?"</p><p>Naruto nodded and slowly walked away. His fingers hurted, since the Hyuuga told him to hold the ball in different way than before.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't practice so much, Sasuke. You can't get overworked." Ino stood behind him, as she would always do in class, because she always sat behind him. "You look like you have been pitching all night"</p><p>"You look like you have been setting for the whole night and nobody even hit your tosses" he mumbled in answer, knowing that the blonde actually did it "I saw you coming out of the hall at 1 pm".</p><p>He couldn't see her but she almost punched him for sure.</p><p>"Kurenai sensei said..."</p><p>"Yeah, you practically just made it to the team. Don't imagine too much" he knew he was just being mean but Ino probably got used to this as a part of his personality.</p><p>Sasuke Uchiha basically wanted to be an asshole to everyone that he had ever met and every single student in Konoha Schools knew that. That he, the star pitcher, had no intention of making friends.</p><p>His goal was something way more important than just becoming the best baseball player that was ever born. These dreams were just for weak boys that imagined too much.</p><p>Like the blond that told him that he would beat him on the first day of school. How did he want to do that? For all the years of education he was a ridicule. In elementary school he hit himself with his own bat. How someone like him could ever achieve something?</p><p>Sasuke opened his notebook and turned the pages until he saw the notes he made on English. They were not as detailed as Ino used to do when it came to volleyball, but he wrote some standard information about his newest rival that had appeared out of nowhere. He was not very strong, so he probably would not pitch any fastballs. His cooperativeness was for sure better than Sasuke's – that annoying Nara catcher hated him – but Uzumaki Naruto was, in fact, even worse than average. How did he manage to out an Uchiha? </p><p>"Lucky" he mumbled to himself.</p><p>"You made notes on that guy? Sasuke, seems like you're treating him seriously. You never do" Ino said, as she looked from behind his shoulder. The boy instantly closed his notebook. "You never had an actual rival".</p><p>He sighed, but somwhere deep in his chest, he felt the pinch of truth in her words.</p><p> </p><p>"Shikamaru! We have a problem!" Naruto ran to the Science classroom, still in his lab coat and googles on. His dark haired classmate was sleeping on a table inside an empty room. It was lunch time, so he was allowed to do that, and when he heard the blond, he lifted his head up looking annoyed as he never was.</p><p>"Let me guess. You caused it." He groaned, almost angrily "Now deal with it yourself". And went back to sleep.</p><p>"Shikamaru! This is really serious now!" He screamed and then ran even faster back to the lab, where he caused some trouble. Of course, unintentionally. The test-tube that belonged to school just exploded in his hands. Thank god he had his googles on, otherwise he'd be blind by now. </p><p>He ran into a random classroom and yelled in panic "Help! SOMEONE!" And, not looking if anyone listened to him, he rushed back to the lab, hoping that nothing exploded this time.</p><p>Naruto was just about to enter the lab, when someone ran past him and did it faster. Probably it was someone that got sick of his shouting.</p><p>Uzumaki stopped in front of the open room.</p><p>"It's you!" He immediately snapped, when he saw Sasuke Uchiha, pouring some weird-looking substances at the mess that Naruto has made before. "I didn't ask you for help!"</p><p>"You did. Scaredy cat." Sasuke looked at the other boy smugly, and he was about to laugh when a tall figure came out of the lab equipment room.</p><p>"What are you two doing in my lab during the lunch break?!"</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully, it was just a small detention. Naruto did not have a training today, so he spent extra two hours staring at the field. Sasuke was sent earlier because of his pitcher-catcher training with Shikamaru and one of the coaches. He could see them from the window. Their coach was weird and had almost all of his face covered. And Sasuke was not grateful for a training with him.</p><p>"You want to join them?" The principal asked, looking through some papers on her desk. "I thought you don't have training today".</p><p>"I told you myself, that I don't, Granny Tsunade" he sighed, not pulling away from the window "I didn't make it to the first string".</p><p>"Then practice more" she drank out of a cup, most probably filled with something other than just tea.</p><p>"Of course I will! If you let me out of detention, I'll go in a moment and go practice"</p><p>She just waved at him, smirking.</p><p>Naruto ran out of the classroom, ready to watch his rival before training with Neji at 10.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. How Are We Going To Be The Wonder Duo?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hinata watched Ino and Sakura collaborate in amazement. They were basically unstoppable as a duo and even Kurenai sensei smiled, looked at them during the short break in training. They even high-fived after one excellent attack, but then immediately turned around.</p><p>"They're even better than good" an older teammate stood next to Hinata, holding a ball in her hands. She had dark brown hair and brown eyes. Probably a second year, altough she seemed talented and good with the receives. "Were they... always like this?"</p><p>Hinata just nodded. The girl watched their new dynamic duo again. Ino just threw the ball at Sakura, but she dodged it very easily and with monstrous strength.</p><p>"She'll make a good wing spiker" assessed Hinata's new friend. "She's good at hitting things. And the second one... is really precise. Also she's not stupid. Not like anyone else here is stupid"</p><p>"So they'll be like... a battery but in volleyball?"</p><p>"Yeah, sure. If they get along of course. Hopefully they will, because we have a game soon and that girl from Suna Academy always gets on my nerves".</p><p>Hinata looked at the girls again. It seemed like they are going to be rivals for now. What will be next? Nobody knew.</p><p> </p><p>"Naruto! Don't you see the glove?"</p><p>The boy breathed. His arm hurted like hell. He felt like it was ripped off his shoulder. And Neji did not want a break. He wanted Naruto to pitch even more and more.</p><p>"That Uchiha pitched ninety fastballs on today's practice. I watched him. He's really good" that was it. Uzumaki groaned and found some strength in himself. And threw the ball, which was faster than usual. Or maybe he just thought so, because it was the last thing he could do before falling on his knees. "Hey!" Neji walked to him, ready to scold him for puttering, but his intution told him that something was wrong. "Naruto!"</p><p>He fainted. Maybe Neji should not have gotten him that tired. But it was not much, actually. Maybe a little more than average pitchers practice a day.</p><p>Neji slipped his gear off, before putting the blond's arm over his shoulder and carrying him to the nurse's office. </p><p>In fact, Konoha High School's nurse was also their principal. Hopefully she didn't sneak out at night to drink with the History teacher. Naruto looked like he needed help.</p><p>"Hey! What are you..." someone was leaving the volleyball hall and Neji cursed under his breathe. He didn't know that girl. If only TenTen was here to look after her new volleyball teammates.</p><p>"Neji!" Thankfully, she ran out of the hall with her sports bag on her shoulder. "Where are you carrying this guy?" She pointed at Naruto.</p><p>"He fainted. I am looking for the headmistress" he answered but his friend just rolled her eyes.</p><p>"I think she left somewhere about eleven" TenTen closed the hall with the keys, that Kurenai sensei gave her. "Put him down. I have been doing it for a year already".</p><p>"You're going to..." TenTen's teammate started the sentence, but understood when she was raising her hand. "Wait! Don't hit him! You'll only make it worse"</p><p>"You have a better idea?"</p><p>"Can't we just wait until the principal comes back? I don't know where she is but she also has to sleep at night."</p><p>"She will. In some ditch near the school".</p><p> </p><p>Sasuke was in pain, but he was hiding it, as much as it was possible. He injured his left – dominant – hand on yesterday's practice with that idiot new coach, Kakashi sensei. Shikamaru also didn't seem to like him, but Shikamaru was Shikamaru and he didn't really get on well with new people, and Sasuke was in that group. How could he become an ace while his catcher hated him? That would never make a great battery.</p><p>The team's first catcher, Neji Hyuuga, refused to train with Sasuke and that made him angry. Why wouldn't he want to? He was their new pitcher and they were supposed to play together.</p><p>"Sasuke, can you borrow me your notes?" Ino asked suddenly, standing in front of the door to his room in the dorms "I have some problems with Chem and Tsunade will kill me tomorrow"</p><p>He opened the door, handed her his notebook and closed quickly, so she wouldn't see his arm covered in cooling gel that he always used. It was no time for learning, he thought and looked at the field.</p><p>He had to pretend that his hand was okay. Soon, they would have to play against the Suna Academy and Suna Academy had a pair of interesting players.</p><p>He sighed and stood up, trying not to twitch in pain.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>♡</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Somewhere Near The First Base</h2></a>
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    <p>"Are you okay now?" Someone pat sleeping Naruto on his back, during the break between the extra Maths he had to take and his practice with the substitutes that Neji was friends with. He turned and saw Shikamaru, looking annoyed as always "Coach asked me to bring you to his office. You better go, he said that it was important" </p><p>Naruto, still tired, threw his notebook into his bag and followed the catcher. He wasn't in the mood to think, actually, not since yesterday, because he laid down the whole night, unable to get the proper 8 hours of sleep.</p><p>"Uchiha dislocated his shoulder" Nara mumbled, seeing the state that his friend was in.</p><p>That was a good decision because Naruto instantly jumped and looked very alive.</p><p>"I am going to play in a match?"</p><p>"I don't know, really. We have to ask Kakashi sensei. The Hyūga catcher suggested you to him. You should thank him later."</p><p>So, Neji wanted Naruto to play instead of Sasuke. Neji believed in him. Or maybe it was just a test? Another one? The long haired boy seemed to be unpredictable. Naruto felt like they started to get along a little since Uzumaki pitched directly into his glove during that match when he fooled Sasuke.</p><p>Shikamaru opened the door to the coaches' office, and took him to the gray-haired masked man that sat with his legs on his desk. And he was reading a not exactly appropriate book.</p><p>"What a drag. Kakashi-sensei, I brought the pitcher that Neji recommended"</p><p>The man looked up. His left eye was covered with a headband with the school's symbol, a leaf.</p><p>"Great. Thank you, Shikamaru" Nara left after these words. Naruto was all alone with that weird coach and his only eye was examining the boy. How he was supposed to play when he had only one eye? "You're not a lefty, aren't you?"</p><p>"Why does that matter?" Naruto asked, outraged. "It's not about it"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, of course it does not." He put the book away for a moment. Thank god. "Just curious, why Neji Hyūga wanted exactly you"</p><p>"Because I am insanely good and unique?"</p><p>"I don't think it's because of that, but okay, think how you want to" Kakashi got up and pat Naruto's shoulder gently "I'm going to test you. Let's go"</p><p>Naruto followed him directly to the mound. He still was in his school uniform and the coach didn't tell him to change. That would probably be quick.</p><p>"Oi, Kakashi! Nice to see you there on this beautiful afternoon" When the silver haired man was looking for something in his pockets, a green flash appeared.</p><p>It was Gai-sensei, the gym teacher that probably everyone hated, because he was actually the teacher that would exercise with you to death. He also trained future stars of baseball, but thankfully, he was a shortstop, not a pitcher.</p><p>"This is not exactly the right time, Gai. I need to test this young man" Kakashi pointed at Naruto, still looking for something. "Neji recommended him"</p><p>"Neji, you say? Then he must be amazing. Why isn't he in the starting lineup?"</p><p>Uzumaki was slowly starting to get irritated. He was here to get chosen for the team and now he had to listen to these two old men. </p><p>"Yes!" Kakashi put a small coin out of his pocket and took it between his thumb and index finger. Then, he slowly walked to the batter box, throwing a ball at Naruto. "Pitch here and you're on the team"</p><p>The coin was smaller than the blond's nail. How was he supposed to do it? It was not possible, to hit this certain target.</p><p>After all, he decided to try, imagining Neji's glove and his voice, telling him to focus.</p><p>And he pitched.</p><p>The ball was so close to the coin. It would definitely hit it and Kakashi-sensei's hand. Place on the team was his!</p><p>"Home run!" Gai ruined the moment.</p><p>It was not even clear how did he get a bat in this amount of time, and how did he run to the batter box and how did he hit that ball, finding time to shout anything?</p><p>It wasn't a home run, but Gai threw the bat on the ground and ran to the base, shouting something about the youth.</p><p>"Great. Come to the practice tomorrow" Kakashi dropped the coin, turned and walked away.</p><p>What? Did he just put him on the team?</p><p> </p><p>"Oi, Hinata, are you coming to the baseball match on Saturday?" TenTen sat next to the dark haired girl during the break and handed her a bottle of water "Good job today"</p><p>"Yeah, probably" she answered and took the water and drank it.</p><p>"My friend's playing" she smiled to herself, adjusting her buns "He haven't had a chance to play since the new battery came."</p><p> "Sasuke and Shikamaru?" She asked and then Ino and Sakura who were arguing as usual, immediately turned "They're not playing?"</p><p>"Yeah, my friend told me that the Uchiha dislocated his arm. Bad luck. Hopefully the substitute pitcher is good, I mean, with Neji, he should..."</p><p>"Oi, Hinata! Isn't Neji your cousin?" Ino cut in her senior's words curiously "Don't you know who is the substitute?"</p><p>Hinata shook her head, pretending not to know. In fact, before the practice, Naruto happily hugged her, yelling that he got into the team. </p><p>"It doesn't matter who is it, he won't be as good as Sasuke" Sakura sat down next to Hinata and TenTen "I don't think we have anyone better at the moment"</p><p>Hinata laughed to herself in her thoughts.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry for my absence, i'm in quarantine but i still have school though</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading! let me know if something is wrong!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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